blogger reads: one book, two takes

For this installment of our blogger reads series, Dana and I picked With the Fire on High, which one could choose based just on the Instagram hype it was getting, or pick just on the amazing cover art that it has - but I'm happy to report that one should definitely also pick it up for the characters and the writing and the story. It's all great!

Two-sentence summary: Emoni Santiago has more responsibilities than your average high school senior - a 3-year-old daughter to care for, a job to help her aging grandmother cover the bills - and also more talent in the kitchen than your average 17-year-old, with an intuitive and passionate sense for cooking. When she finds out that her school is going to offer a culinary elective that includes a trip to Spain, she has to decide whether to do the "smart" thing and keep to a practical path, or whether to pursue this seemingly impossible dream.

What I liked most and what frustrated me: What I liked most besides the great cover? Emoni! The story is told from her perspective, and her voice is just so good. Strong, knows what she wants, carries herself with pride, but is still vulnerable and reflective - that mix of being forced to grow up early, but still being a teenager felt powerfully real and also inspiring. And the food angle was just plain fun, reading about her mouthwatering creations, or getting these excellent food metaphors in general.

What frustrated me was that while I agree that someone's talent can have somewhat "magical" effects on others, there were just a couple of random mentions of reactions to Emoni's cooking that bordered on a magical realism approach to the narrative (like she can make people fall in love because of eating her food). Those distracted me a bit and seemed unnecessary (and unfitting with the rest of the story), because we already got plenty of feel for how innate and wonderful her talent is.

Favorite quote: "Home. I come from a place that's as sweet as the freshest berry, as sour as curdled milk; where we dream of owning mansions and leaving the hood; where we couldn't imagine having been raised anywhere else."

Recommended for: lovers of YA, especially selections with a bit of grit or these kick-ass protagonists who are figuring out how to navigate difficult life circumstances at the same time as the standard high school relationships and responsibilities, like in On the Come Up or The Hate U Give. Also would compare it to something like Far from the Tree in dealing with teenage pregnancy/emotions and to I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter in dealing with teenagers navigating race, - all while just trying to be a teen.

Star rating: 4.5/5 stars


Have you read this one yet? Or tried any of the tempting recipes that are at the beginning of the sections?

After you check out Dana's take on it, let us know what else you've been reading lately by commenting, or by linking up any book review post below, and maybe it'll help us pick a future selection! In the meantime, we're planning on Waiting for Tom Hanks for our December 1 post, if you want to read along and link up then.

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